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Blood Shades
Ulthanesh, brother and betrayer of Eldanesh, is the supposed patron of the Blood Shades aspect shrine. They are a rare shrine that serve as an internal police force, seeking corruption and misdeeds within the hearts of the Eldar under their scrutiny. They are famous for their “slipsuits” that let them phase through matter temporarily. Combat Employing “slipsuits”, the Blood Shades can phase through matter for few seconds at a time. This leaves them unable to interact with the physical world by phasing into the warp and conveniently rendering them invisible. The noise their slipsuits make when entering the warp is not unlike a thousand screams and Should they return with any part of their body within another a small explosion destroys matter that the point of contact. This is a last-ditch effort for them and there are many tales of gallant sacrifices being made by Blood Shades. They are more regularly used as spies, assassins, scouts, and thieves than on the battlefield. They possess the unique psychic ability to see into the hearts of those they interrogate to tell if they are corrupted or hiding something. Equipment The Blood Shades wear slipsuits and large, curved, two-bladed power swords known as “slipswords” which can phase through enemy weapons and reform to rend flesh. They also carry a standard shuriken pistol and their slipsuits have a limited use grav-dampener that has a similar effect to a harlequin flipbelt. Their exarchs wield two slipswords and their slipsuits are known to be able to remain phased for minutes at a time. Shrines & Path Blood Shade shrines are far and few between due to their dedication to the Path of Ulthanesh but those who employ them see their usefulness. The Path of Ulthanesh is also known as the “path of the antagonist”. They believe Ulthanesh’s jealousy and betrayal of Eldanesh was a test by the gods. They saw the later union during the War in Heaven as symbolic of this. To join the Shrine one must ceremonially renounce the House of Eldanesh and enter into the service of the House of Ulthanesh; upon leaving the shrine they rejoin the House of Eldanesh. Blood Shades may not become an Autarch until they rejoin the House of Eldanesh and thus their exarchs can never become one. The shrine is more common on Exodite worlds and a number of Corsairs sponsor them. Many outcasts, commonly known as Rangers, fall in with Blood Shade shrines or are failed exarchs who have left House of Eldanesh but never gained the privilege to rejoin House of Ulthanesh. Though their existence on a craftworld is sometimes concealed from the public so they can conduct their work they are suspected to be on Craftworld Nova'cor, Alaitoc, Iyanden, Il-Kaithe, and possibly Kaelor. Exarchs To become an Blood Shade exarch is one of the most perilous endeavors an Eldar can undertake. After their training they must sever many years in an internal affairs capacity on a Craftworld or Exodite world before they can attempt to become an exarch. One who serves as an exarch permanently severs themself from the House of Eldanesh and is banished for a time. They wander, ceremonially shunned by all Eldar and offered no succor. They meditate in a hostile environment (often on a death world) until a sign from the gods leaves them near death. Less than half of those who attempt this trial return (and very few attempt it to begin with). After surviving this near death experience one is fully welcomed into the House of Ulthanesh. The exarchs of House of Ulthanesh form a kind of shadow council that unites many worlds as they are seen as the “nobles” of the house. Phoenix Lord The head of the noble council of the House of Ulthanesh is the Phoenix Lord Ulnan who is known as “The Ghost of the Past”. The identity of Ulnan is shrouded in mystery but some say it is Ulthanesh reborn while others believe that she re-discovered the path after the same scorpion born of Kaela Mensha Khaine’s finger stung her. She slips silently between craftworlds searching for corruption in the leadership and slaying those she does not find worthy to lead. It is said that the large ornate metal finger talon she wear is the Finger of Khaine himself. Category:Eldar Category:Aspect Shrine Category:Aspect Warrior